Charred white oak rack for aging or maturing, clarifying, coloring, and mellowing spirituous liquors, and particularly whisky



May 4, 1937. J MILLS 2,079,378

-CHARRED WHITE OAK RACK FOR AGING OR MATURING, CLARIFYING, COLORING,

AND MELLOWING SPIRITUOUS LIQUORS, AND PARTICULARLY WHISKY Filed June 25,1935 marked E.

Patented May 4, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE cnARREn WHITE OAK RAcKFoR AGING 0R MATURING, CLARIFYING, COLORING, AND MELLOWING srmrroousLIQUO S, AND PARTICULARLY WHISKY.

Klester J. Mills, Louisville, Ky. Application June 25, 1935, Serial No.28,334

of so treating unmatured whisky as to cheaply and efiiciently producethe above mentioned effects on the whisky.

It is also an important object of my invention to reduce the expense andtrouble involved in the handling and storage of whisky, by eliminatingthe necessity of transferring the whisky from the vessels in which thesame is initially collected or stored.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from areading of the following description in connection with the drawing,wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferredembodimentof my invention.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a section on the line l--l of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1. A

The insert is composed of two octagonal ends marked "A, and six uprightsmarked B, the uprights being tightly mortised between ends, as shown,each upright having two in. diameter tenons 2 in. centers each end.These uprights occur at each cant side of ends, there being a in. widespace left between same, to allow whisky to fiow around all uprightmembers.

Each end A will have four in. diameter holes marked C, 12 in. centers toreceive dowels marked D fastened to heads of barrel. Each of these holesC will be countersunk'% in. deep and 1 in. diameter to receive spacingcorks These corks help hold insert in place and also keep same fromrattling.

On each edge of cant side of insert ends A, there will be a 1 in.diameter shock absorbing cork marked F, fitting over in. diameterdowels. 1

Into each head of barrel marked G, will be inserted foul /2 i diameterdowels marked D projecting approximately 2 in. inside barrel. Thesedowels are to hold insert in place.

The notch marked H opposite the bung side of barrel in each end is topermit the use 'of a gauge stick.

The entire insert will be constructed oil in. thick white oak, all sidesof which will be charred.

The insert ends are 20 in. wide, octagonal in shape, and the rackmeasures 30 in. end to end over all. 1

Details of how charred white oak mature supplying racks are constructed,charred and fastened to inside of barrel All piecesare made from whiteoak lumber, one inch thick, this lumber being charred on both sides thesame, asis the inside of the barrel. The ends of the insert are madefrom two or more pieces doweled together with wooden dowel pins;

ends 2 inches apart. I reserve the right to increase the number ofupright pieces and their relative position on the sides of the insertwithout departing from the principles and objects of the insert. Theupright pieces when fitted into the ends, have an insert constructedwithout the use of nails, because the wooden mortises were used 12inches in center at both ends of insert, there are four countersunkholes 1% inch diameter and the hole in thecenter is inch. In thisisplaced a 1 inch diameter cork space with inch hole in center.

The heads of the barrels to be used are removed and four inch dowels aretightly fitted, which protrude downward about 2 inches. These dowelswill slip in the center holes of the cork spacers in countersinks of theinsert, when the head .is. replaced in the barrel; This preventsrattling and absorbs all shock, and aids in holding the rack in place.On the edge of the cant 7 sides of the insert, 4 other 1 inch corkspacers are fitted over inch dowels. These protrude out enough to takecare of the extra strain, placed on the sides of the barrels. These alsoprevent rattling and aid in holding the rack in place.

The insert is placed in the barrel so that the open sides will be at thetop and bottom. When the barrel is lying down on its bilge with the bungup, the bottomv side of the rack ends, has notches which permit theageing by rod. These inserts will not decrease the capacity of a barrelover three gallons. These inserts can be made for any size containerranging from 10 gallons up.

General statement In the beginning, I will briefly state the objectionto a newly distilled whisky. The whisky has a fiery taste caused by thepresence of the fusel oils, mash and other substances of distilling. Thewhisky is clear and has no color; to remove the above stated substances,the distiller has always stored the whisky in charred white oak barrelsfor a long period of time for the purpose of coloring and the removal ofthe newish fiery taste. The storing of the whisky removes this taste andtransforms it into a mellow pleasant taste. It has been conceded thatonly charred white oak furnishes the tannic acid that colors the whisky;that charcoal purifies it; and that white oak cells mellow, age andremove the fiery taste. It also gives the whisky after a time the beadthat naturally stands .on it.

In regard to the waste of this kind of timber years ago, and not byreforesting, the white oak has become ascarcity and the prices on whiteoak lumber have so risen that a barrel costs the distiller about thesame as the grain that is used in making the whisky.

The white oak barrel after the first using becomes unfit for refilling,because the tannic acid which is beneficial to whisky has beenwithdrawn. Distillers have tried in many ways to reuse these barrels butevery attempt was unsuccessful because the quality, color, bead andmellow taste are one-third as perfect.

Charred white oak whisky barrels are 35 inches long, and are made up ofstaves and heads which are 1 inch thick. These barrels hold from 47 to50 gallons, and Weigh from to pounds. Deducting the weight of hoops andchimes which is about 12 pounds, this leaves 78 pounds of wood.

The whisky only soaks into this wood about /2 inch but does not take outthe tannic acid over of an inch. Thus this would leave about 30 poundsof wood used in'the coloring of, aging and maturing of the whisky.

I have perfected a charred white oak tannic acid supplying insert whichcan be used in a whisky barrel that has been used before. This insertwould weigh about 20 pounds for a first reused barrel and every timethereafter it would have have to weigh 30 pounds. In barrels other thanwhite oak which do not have to be charred, the insert would weigh 30pounds.

White oak inserts may be made from third class lumber, sawed from upperparts of the tree,

etc. This makes it possible to make them onefifth as cheap as thepresent price of white oak bourbon whisky barrels.

What is claimed is:-

An insert for the purpose indicated comprising polygonal ends, aplurality of flat uprights arranged in groups at opposite sides of theends but spaced from each other and connected with and spacing the endssubstantially the height of a whisky barrel between the heads thereof,and means carried by the ends for engagement with the heads of a barrelto maintain the central disposition of the insert in the barrel andallow circulation entirely therearound, the heads and uprights beingconstructed of a material having a sufficient tannic acid content togive up, in the whisky aging process, an amount equivalent to thatordinarily given up by the charred interior surface of the barrel,dowels set in the ends and extending from the outer faces thereof forengagement in sockets in the barrel heads, cork spacers surrounding thedowels and seated in the ends for frictional engagement with the barrelI KLESTER J. IVIILLS.

